It has become a bit of a tradition to have all the vandas tag along on our vacations, so I figured I would post a photo of this year’s group. Since I grow my vandas bare root they get a bath every day (or every other day now when it is a little darker and cooler). Princess Mikasa came with us skiing last xmas, and the whole gang came out on summer vacation for a few weeks this summer. This holiday season we went out to the coast for a couple of weeks, and of course the vanda gang came too. As long as we don’t leave the country I suppose this will tradition will work out ok…
The logistics behind leaving for extended periods of time are getting more and more complex with so many orchids to care for. Believe it or not, it’s hard to find babysitters who are willing to water nearly 200 orchids… Luckily most of them do fine without care for a week at a time – but not really much longer than that. This time I went back into town to water once in the middle of our stay and it worked out ok. Those windowsill orchids that usually get water twice a week can tolerate a dry week once in a while. The mounted orchids in the warm vivarium are usually misted every day, but when I leave I fill humidity trays in the bottom of the viv with a few centimeters of water to ensure that humidity stays really high. With the trays full of water the RH almost max out at 100% and the mounted orchids stay hydrated longer. It is important to have good air circulation when you do this however.
Haha, the famous vacationing vandas! Sounds like a circus act!
Wow, they’ve grown since the summer, havn’t they!
Hope you guys are enjoying your vacation 🙂
Yes, it most definitely looks a little bit like a circus act as well… lol. And yes, they have grown a lot! Princess Mikasa has gotten 4 new leaves this year, and Euanthe (Vanda) sanderiana var. alba (bottom in this picture) has almost doubled in size since this summer, and set two huge 25-30 cm long roots. I think the latter will eventually become my xmas tree, just give it a few years – these will get really big! 🙂
To my favorite, fellow orchidophile: Hope you and your family have a most prosperous New Year, filled with happiness, health, and more orchids! 🙂
Thanks a lot!! And the same to you. 🙂